Thin wall veneer brick and manufacturing assembly therefor

ABSTRACT

A brick having a peripheral shoulder defining a flange allowing fasteners to be inserted therein when two adjacent bricks have facing indentations is described herein. The peripheral shoulder of the bricks allows mortar to be inserted therein to create a conventional brick look and to hide the fasteners. The shoulder is optionally provided with indentations allowing fasteners therethrough. Also described herein is a machine to manufacture such bricks.

BACKGROUND

Thin Wall veneer brick constructions are well known in the art ofexterior and interior wall covering. Conventional bricks are generallylaid with mortar provided between adjacent bricks and between adjacentbrick rows. This may be viewed as a drawback since it is difficult tokeep brick rows level. Furthermore, the task of laying out bricks withmortar is time consuming, costly and labour intensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a brick wall made with different sizes ofthin wall veneer bricks according to illustrated embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of two adjacent thin wall veneer bricks of thebrick wall of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation of part of a brick edge agingmachine illustrated in the operation of aging a brick according to anillustrated embodiment;

FIGS. 5A to 5H illustrate the dimensions of the bricks used in the brickwall of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded side elevation of an assembly for manufacturingthin wall veneer bricks according to illustrated embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the assembly of FIG. 6 ready to moldbricks of different sizes;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the assemblywhen it contacts the concrete provided in the molds;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the assemblypartially compressing the concrete provided in the molds;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the assemblytotally compressing the concrete provided in the molds;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the assemblywhen the brick shoulders are formed;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the assemblywhen the newly formed bricks are released therefrom;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are respectively side elevation and top plan views ofa thin wall veneer corner brick according to an illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 14A is a front elevation of a brick wall made with different sizesof bricks according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14B is a sectional view taken along line 14B-14B of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15 is a front elevation of a brick wall made with identical bricksaccording to another embodiment; and

FIGS. 16A-16G are front elevations of bricks provided with differentperipheral flange configurations according to embodiments of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a thinbrick comprising:

a generally rectangular body having a first thickness; the rectangularbody defining four sides; and

a flange provided on at least two of the four sides of the generallyrectangular body and integral therewith for receiving at least onefastener for mounting the brick to a wall substrate; the flange having asecond thickness smaller than the first thickness to allow the flangeand the at least one fastener to be covered.

The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term“comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one”, butit is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more”, “at least one”,and “one or more than one”. Similarly, the word “another” may mean atleast a second or more.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (andany form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having”(and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and anyform of including, such as “include” and “includes”) or “containing”(and any form of containing, such as “contain” and “contains”), areinclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecitedelements or process steps.

The term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes an inherentvariation of error for the device or the method being employed todetermine the value.

Other objects, advantages and features will become more apparent uponreading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrativeembodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

Generally stated, illustrative embodiments are concerned with concretebricks having a shoulder defining a peripheral flange configured forreceiving the heads of fasteners used to mount the concrete bricks to awall substrate. Optionally, the peripheral flange is provided withindentations allowing fasteners to be inserted therein when two adjacentbricks have aligned indentations. The peripheral flange of the bricks,which is thinner than the body of the concrete brick, allows mortar, orother covering material, to be inserted thereonto to create theconventional brick look while hiding the fasteners. Another aspect isconcerned with an assembly to manufacture such concrete bricks.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the appended drawings, a wall 20 coveredwith thin bricks according to an illustrative embodiment will bedescribed. The wall 20 is covered with thin concrete bricks definingeight brick sizes 22A-22H.

FIG. 2 illustrates two adjacent bricks 22D and 22E. As can be seen fromthis figure, each brick is generally rectangular, thereby provided withfour corners 26, and includes a peripheral shoulder defining aperipheral flange 24 provided with eight semi-cylindrical indentations28A-28H. Each indentation 28A-28H is located at the same distance from acorner 26 of the brick. Accordingly, since the bricks 22D and 22E are ofthe same height, the two indentations 28C and 28D of brick 22E arerespectively aligned with the two indentations 28H and 28G of brick 22D.Fasteners 30 are driven through the aligned indentations to enter thewall substrate (not shown) to mount the bricks 22D and 22E to the wall.As can be better seen from FIG. 3, the fasteners 30 include a headportion 32 abutting the flanges 24 to adequately mount the bricks to thewall. The width of the flanges 24 define the distance separating thebrick faces since the flanges of one brick abuts the flanges of adjacentbricks.

Once the bricks are mounted to the wall via fasteners 30, mortar can beused to cover the flanges 24, hiding the fasteners 30, to give the brickwall a conventional look.

FIGS. 5A to 5H give illustrative dimensions for the bricks 22A to 22H.As can be seen from FIG. 1, given those brick dimensions, each brick hasfour of its eight indentations aligned with indentations of adjacentbricks therefore allowing four fasteners 30 to contact the flange ofeach brick to adequately mount the bricks to the wall.

It is to be noted that the dimensions of FIGS. 5A to 5H are given forillustration purpose only. Similarly, the number of different sizebricks may also vary. Alternatively, all the bricks could be the same aswill be discussed hereinbelow.

Turning now to FIGS. 6 to 12 of the appended drawings, an assembly 100for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks will be described.

The assembly 100 is shown in an exploded side view in FIG. 6.

The assembly 100 includes a mold 102 provided with cavities 104 eachhaving a brick dimension and defining an aperture through the mold 102.The mold 102 is designed to be pressed against a flat surface 106. Eachcavity 104 is so shaped as to define the eight indentations of theparticular brick size.

The assembly 100 also includes a flange making assembly 108 includingflange sized walls 110 configured and sized to enter the cavities 104 toshape the flanges 24 as will be described hereinbelow. It is to be notedthat the walls 110 also define apertures 111 in the assembly 108 toallow the brick pressing elements therethrough as will be describedhereinbelow.

A brick pressing assembly 112 is also part of the assembly 100. Thepressing assembly 112 includes plungers 114 each provided with anadequately sized brick pressing element 116 that may pass through acorresponding apertures 111 in the flange making assembly 108. Theplungers 114 are mounted to a plate 115 that includes stoppers 117 thepurpose of which will be described hereinbelow.

Finally, the assembly 100 includes a pressure applying assembly 118 thatcan be powered by a hydraulic press (not shown), for example. Thepressure applying assembly 118 includes a plate 119 provided with fourprojecting posts 120 (only two shown) configured and sized to allowsleeves 122 mounted to the plate 115 of the brick pressing assembly 112thereunto.

The projecting posts can be replaced by any other interconnectingassembly (not shown).

To assemble the assembly 100, the brick pressing assembly 112 is mountedto the pressure applying assembly 118 by sliding the sleeves 122 ontothe posts 120. The flange making assembly 108 is then mounted to theposts 120 via bolts 126 and nuts 128.

The assembled assembly 100 is shown in FIG. 7. As can be seen from thisfigure, the sleeves 122 are about midway on the posts 120. It is also tobe noted that the brick pressing elements 116 are level with the walls110.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 to 12 of the appended drawings, the operation ofthe assembly for manufacturing thin wall veneer bricks 100 will bedescribed.

FIG. 7 illustrates the assembly 100 when the mold 102 is applied againstthe flat surface 106. Concrete 130 is provided in each cavity 104 of themold 102.

Then, in FIG. 8, the pressure applying assembly 118, to which the brickpressing and shoulder making assemblies are mounted, is lowered (seearrows 132) so that the brick pressing elements 116 contact the concrete130 provided in the cavities 104.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the compression of the concrete 130 by thecontinued movement of the brick pressing elements 116 (see arrows 134and 136). FIG. 10 shows the final position of the pressing elements 116,i.e. when the concrete 130 completely fills the cavities 104.

FIG. 11 shows the position of the assembly 100 following the relativedisplacement of the walls 110 with respect to the brick pressingelements 116 (arrow 138). This displacement is limited by the stoppers117 that abut against the plate 119 of the pressure applying assembly118, preventing further relative displacement therebetween. The stoppers117 therefore limit the depth of the shoulders and therefore thethickness of the flanges 24 of the bricks.

It is also to be noted that the brick pressing elements 116 are slightlyraised (see arrows 140) to the final thickness of the brick by thedisplacement of the concrete by the walls 110.

FIG. 12 illustrates the disengagement of the assembly for manufacturingthin wall veneer bricks 100 from the newly formed bricks 22. To do so,the pressure applying assembly 118 and the mold 102 are moved away fromthe flat surface 106 (see arrows 141 and 142).

It is to be noted that the brick pressing elements 116 may have atextured surface to form texture faced bricks.

It is also to be noted that the assembly 100 could be used to formbricks that are thicker than the final desired thickness to allow forpost-treatment of the bricks in view of enhancing its aesthetics. Forexample, thicker bricks could be subjected to splitting, pitching orother enhancement treatments.

To allow forming thicker bricks 22, the posts 120 and stoppers 117 aresized accordingly. According to another embodiment of the assembly formanufacturing thin wall veneer bricks, cylinders or other means areprovided to adjust the mounting distance between the brick pressingassembly 112 and the pressure applying assembly 118.

FIG. 4 of the appended drawings, which illustrates the process of aginga brick 22, illustrates how the configuration of the brick 22 allowsedging the edges and/or top surface thereof by any known edging process,while preserving intact the peripheral edge 24 thereof.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate a corner brick to be used with any of thebricks 22A to 22H in constructing a wall (not shown).

It is to be noted that the brick arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 isfor illustration purpose since a plurality of brick patterns can becreated using some or all of the eight sized of bricks disclosed herein.Furthermore, the brick sizes are also given for illustration purposesince any brick size is possible.

Turning now to FIGS. 14A and 14B of the appended drawings a dry-stackwall 200 covered with thin bricks according to another illustrativeembodiment will be described. The wall 200 is covered with thin concretebricks defining two brick sizes 202A-202B.

As can be seen from FIG. 14A, the bricks 202A and 202B have flanges 204on two contiguous sides (shown as the left and the bottom sides in theappended figures) and overhangs 206 on the other two contiguous sides.Accordingly, this allows fasteners 208 to mount the bricks to a wallsubstrate (not shown) via the two sides provided with flanges 204 whilehiding the fasteners with the overhangs of adjacent bricks. Accordingly,no mortar is required to hide the fasteners 208 and the flanges 204,thereby creating a dry-stack wall 200.

Of course, one skilled in the art will be in a position to dimension theflanges and overhangs so as to create an adequate dry-stack wall whileallowing fasteners to adequately mount the bricks to a wall substrate.

The expression “dry-stack wall” should be construed herein as includingany wall construction wherein the veneer bricks or more generally thewall elements are assembled without using mortar or another similarcompound.

Turning now to FIG. 15 of the appended drawings a wall 300 covered withthin bricks according to another illustrative embodiment will bedescribed. The wall 300 is covered with thin concrete bricks defining asingle brick size 302.

As can be seen from this figure, the peripheral flanges 304 of thebricks 302 have no indentations to receive the fasteners. Accordingly,the spacing between adjacent bricks and adjacent row of bricks isdetermined and maintained by the shank of the fasteners 306 providedtherebetween. Accordingly, the distance between the adjacent installedbricks is not determined by the width of the flange 304. Again, once thebricks 302 are mounted to the wall substrate (not shown) via thefasteners 306, mortar (not shown) can be used to hide the peripheralflanges 304 and the fasteners 306.

FIGS. 16A to 16G illustrate examples of shapes that can be imparted tothe peripheral flanges.

It is to be noted that even though the bricks have been shown herein asbeing mounted to a wall, the same bricks could be used on other surfacessuch as a floor.

One skilled in the art will understand that when an indentation ispresent in the peripheral flange of the bricks, the shape of theindentation is not critical, as long as two aligned indentations allowpassage of a fastener therein.

It is also to be noted that should appropriately smaller fastener (notshown) be used, these smaller fastener could be inserted in anyindentation of the bricks, not only in the indentations aligned withanother indentation of an adjacent brick. Thin Wall veneer bricksaccording to embodiments of the present invention can be used inconstructing any well-known types of wall, including ashlar pattern,herringbones, etc.

The manufacturing process of wall veneer bricks according to embodimentsof the present invention as described herein may further include anywell-known secondary process such as aging, splitting and pitching.

While concrete has been described herein as the material of choice tomake bricks as described herein, other materials could be used.

Similarly, while nails are illustrated as the fastener entering theindentations, other types of fasteners could be used such as, withoutlimitations, screws with washers.

It is to be noted that while the peripheral flange has been shown asbeing at right angle, other angles could be used.

It is also to be noted that while bricks and corner bricks have beenillustrated and described herein, other standard masonry elements suchas lintel, for example, could be made according to the generalprinciples described herein.

It is finally to be noted that while the flanges are shown as having 90degrees edges, a chamfer could be provided thereon. When this is thecase, flat head or oval head screws, or any other fastener having acountersunk head bottom, can be used to mount the bricks to the wallsubstrate. Alternatively, a triangular washer matching the chamfer couldbe used.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The invention iscapable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. Itis also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used hereinis for the purpose of description and not limitation.

1. A thin brick comprising: a generally rectangular body having a firstthickness; the rectangular body defining four sides; and a flangeprovided on at least two of the four sides of the generally rectangularbody and integral therewith for receiving at least one fastener formounting the brick to a wall substrate; the flange having a secondthickness smaller than the first thickness to allow the flange and theat least one fastener to be covered.
 2. A thin brick as recited in claim1, wherein the flange is provided on the four sides of the generallyrectangular body.
 3. A thin brick as recited in claim 2, wherein theflange is so configured as to be covered by mortar.
 4. A thin brick asrecited in claim 1, wherein the flange is provided on two contiguoussides of the four sides of the generally rectangular body, the thinbrick further comprising an overhang provided on the other twocontiguous sides; the overhang being so configured and sized as to coverthe flange of adjacent bricks when mounted to a wall substrate.
 5. Athin brick as recited in claim 1, wherein the flange includes at leastone indentation so configured and sized as to receive a fastenertherein.
 6. A thin brick as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least oneindentation includes two indentations on each of the at least two of thefour sides of the generally rectangular body.
 7. A thin brick as recitedin claim 6, wherein the generally rectangular body has four corners andwherein each indentation is located at the same distance from arespective corner of the generally rectangular body.
 8. A thin brick asrecited in claim 1, wherein the flange has a width and wherein thedistance between adjacent installed bricks is defined by the width ofthe flange.
 9. A thin brick as recited in claim 1, wherein the flangehas edges provided with a chamfer.
 10. A thin brick as recited in claim1, wherein the thin brick is made of concrete.
 11. A thin brick asrecited in claim 1, wherein the generally rectangular body includes atextured face.